Ash tray assembly



Nov. 10, 1959 F. T. TURNER ETAL v 2,912,135 ASH TRAY ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 30, 1957 f" 34 3,; l T 22 40 I 58" 3a 2a 54 I INVENTORS u FRANK r TURNER 22 ANDREW 6. TURNER i 29 1 ATTORNEY United States Patent 7 ASH TRAY ASSEMBLY Frank T. Turner and Andrew C. Turner, Alexandria, Va.

Application September 30, 1957, Serial No. 687,076 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-205) This invention relates to ash trays, and it particularly relates to ash trays having butt receptacles below the ash tray itself.

There have, heretofore, been ash trays having butt receptacles wherein the ashes and butts from the tray are dumped in order to maintain a clean and neat appearance of the tray itself. However, such receptacles usually required the presence of water therein as a butt-extinguishing means and, in any case, were clumsy and not overly effective.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an ash tray assembly which includes a butt receptacle which does not require water or any other liquid for extinguishing purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ash tray assembly which is neat, easy to use and entirely effective for its purposes.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved ash tray assembly, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efiicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the view being taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the valve assembly illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a jar or container 10, preferably constructed of glass, plastic or the like, which includes an enlarged main section 12 and a neck portion 14. The upper portion of the neck portion 14 is externally screw-threaded, as at 16, to threadedly receive the internal threads 18 of a depending peripheral skirt 20 integral with a metal ring 22. The ring 22 is provided with a central aperture through which extends a cylindrical valve housing 24. The upper end of the housing 24 is open and is defined by an outwardly-extending annular flange 26 which overlies the ring 22. The bottom of the valve housing 24 is also open to form an annular valve seat 28.

Above the ring 22 is the bottom wall 30 of a tray 32. This bottom wall 30 is centrally apertured, as at 31, and is provided with a bridge portion 33 which spans the aperture 31. The tray 32 is connected to the ring 22 and the flange 26 by means of bolts 34 which extend through mating holes in the ring 22, flange 26 and bridge portion 33. The bolts 34 are held in place by nuts 36.

Depending from the periphery of the bottom wall 30' of the tray 32 is an outwardly inclined, annular skirt 38. The skirt 38 surrounds the'neck 14 of the container 10 in spaced relation thereto, as is clearly disclosed in Fig. 3. Engaging with the skirt 38 but extending in an opposite upward and outward direction from the periphery of the bottom wall 30 is an annular, inclined, upper peripheral wall 40, defined at its upper end by a radially, outwardly extending rim 42. This rim 42 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, cigarette-holding notches 44.

The bridge portion 33 of the bottom wall 30 of the tray 32 is provided with a central aperture 46 through which extends the stem 48 of a valve 50. The stem 48 is screw-threaded at its bottom end, as at 52, and this threaded end 52 extends through a central aperture in a hemispherical valve head 54. The stem 48 is connected to the valve head 54 by two nuts 56 and 58, one on each side of the central aperture in the valve head.

The valve head 54 is provided, at its lower edge, with an outwardly-extending peripheral flange 60. This flange 60 is biased into upper, closing position against the valve.

seat 28 by a coil spring 62 which surrounds the stem 48 and which is positioned between a washer 64 about the stem 48 resting on valve head 54 and a handle or knob 66 on the upper end of the stem 48.

In operation, after a cigarette has been stubbed out in the tray 32, the stub, which may be still smoldering, is pushed through the aperture 31 upon the top surface of the valve head 54. The stem 48 is then depressed, as by pushing on knob 66. This compresses spring 62 and moves the valve head away from the valve seat 28 and permits the stub to slide along the hemispherical valve face down into the receptacle or container 12. The knob 66 is then released and the valve automatically moves back into closed position under action of spring 48. Meanwhile, if there is any flame left in the butt, it'will soon use up any oxygen remaining within container 12 and since no oxygen can get in because of the sealing action of the valve 54 against the valve seat 28, the flame will soon go out. In this manner the butts are extinguished without using water or any other liquid.

This ash tray may be used anywhere, in homes, commercial establishments or automobiles or vehicles. It may be supported by any suitable stand, which in the case of an automobile may be a ring about skirt 38 under rim 42 and having a stem extending therefromto be secured to the dash or other wall of the automobile.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

In combination, a container, a neck on said container, a lid on said neck, said neck having an externally screwthreaded portion and said lid having a central aperture and an internally screw-threaded depending skirt, the threads on said skirt being engageable with the threads on said neck, a tray on said lid having a central aperture therein mating with said central aperture in said lid, a cylindrical valve housing in said apertures, a' valve seat at the lower end of said housing, a bridge member on said tray spanning the aperture therein, said bridge member having an opening therein, a valve stem slidably positioned through said opening, a hemispherical valve head at the lower end of said valve stem, a sealing flange at the lower peripheral edge of said valve head, a knob on the upper end of said valve stem, a loose Washer on said stem above said opening in said bridge member, and a coil spring surrounding said stem between said washer and said knob resiliently urging said valve head upwardly into closing position whereby said se aiing flange 2,147,586 engages against said valve seat. 2,583,730 2,659,513 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,937,084 Janssen V Nov. 28, 1933 589,062 1,999,140 23,245

McDonald Apr. 23, .1935

Welden Feb. 14, 1939 Dick Jan. 29, 1952 Morin Nov. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 10, 1947 Finland May 19, 1949 

